This was good. I enjoyed it and plan to buy a copy for my teens to read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

You had me at forbidden romance, lost, and dark romance. The themes in this novel made it relatable to so many people including teens and adults. Dealing with trauma and grief can make people do so many things like falling in love with someone they never thought possible.

I may be the wrong audience for this book, a YA romance thriller in the vein of Colleen Hoover, and I don't have too many thoughts about it other then 'meh'.
What I will say is that the book is written much better than a Colleen Hoover novel, but to say that 'Everything We Never Said' doesn't pay any homage to Hoover would be an exaggeration. The story of a high school senior grappling with the death of her best friend, the book thrusts you right into melodrama from page one. Off the bat it feels a bit rushed and disorienting. Harlow wastes no time jumping from plot point to plot point, until, at around a third of the way through the book, the plot pauses for a cluster of chapters so the two sets of love interests can be horny for each other. This, again, is a little disorienting.
I found that none of the characters had too much personality, but I will give the book points for this: none of the characters were blatantly unlikeable, and that's a win (especially when you consider the drabble that Colleen Hoover has popularized). I found I was easily able to root for Sawyer in particular, but, again, wish that he'd been fleshed out more.
Overall, the novel could really use some work. The relationship between Ella and Sawyer was very insta-lovey. I understand that they had known each other prior to the start of the book, however, within that context Sawyer was in love with Ella's best friend. Within one conversation, barely ten percent into the book, the two are already drooling over each other. I wish I could have seen this love develop more gradually as the two explored and reckoned with their grief, and found connection there. Some of the dialogue and situations did not always feel grounded in the reality the author was building, and the imagery was very weak. I found myself having to come up with a lot on my own to stay engaged in this world.
The best praise I can give to 'Everything We Never Said' is that it is a very low thought and low effort read. I read this in a matter of hours and it was not difficult to get through. Low effort reads definitely have their time and place, and if that's the kind of book you are looking to read, I don't see any reason not to pick up this YA thriller.

NO SPOILERS!

Thank you Net Galley for my ARC from Sloan Harlow. When I saw this book was for "Fans of Colleen Hoover" and a dark romantic thriller, I had to instantly click to get in on my Kindle. I read this book SO FAST, it had me hooked immediately and through the whole book. I could not put it down and had to find out what the ending was. The twists and thrill did not disappoint at all! I am thirty years old and absolutely loved the high school plot, I did not feel like this was a childish young adult book. I think all young adults and anyone who loves thrillers will enjoy this book just as much as I did. Sloan keeps you on your toes to the end!

Set your calendars to order this on 06/04/2024, you will not want to miss out on this book!

This book as on the predictable side, which I usually expect for YA.

I think this is a great story for the targeted audience. I overall would rate this a 3 star, as an adult.

Oh my heart! This book shattered it and put it through a wild ride.

Ella is in her senior year and missing her best friend by her side. Ella’s best friend, Hayley, died over the summer. Now Ella, is left alone to pick ip the pieces of her shattered heart. But soon she starts to connect with Hayley’s boyfriend, Sawyer. She swears he hates her and blames her for Haley’s death. Surprisingly, they become closer and edge past friendship. Ella struggles with her new found feelings and love for Sawyer. She feels guilty but also can’r stay away from him. But soon Ella discovers secrets about Sawyer and Hayley’s relationship. Nothing she believed about him was real, and Ella can’t stay away. Can she stay safe or will she let the darkness consume her?

What I enjoyed:
- this book kept me intrigued through out it! I loved how the focus wasn’t just on the thriller aspects. But we had a nice full rounded story with twists, and turns.
- I really loved Ella. Yes, she has and still does make dumb choices. But she is a teenage girl dealing with grief. I loved seeing her development through the whole story
- Filipina representation! Our MC, Ella, is of filipina descent. I loved hearing about her Lola, and all the mentions of Filipino culture. I was able to relate to her because I am also filipina. I enjoyed how real the dynamic of her relationship with her mom was as well.
- I loved a lot about this story! But I don’t want to spoil too much.

I really enjoyed this book! I usually skip over most YA thrillers but this one was SO good. I felt like it was a true reflection on grief and friendship. Sign me up to read any future works of this author. 4 stars out of 5! Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review in exchange for an honest review!

I am going to be honest, this was almost a DNF for me. I am glad I didn’t give up on it though. I’m always hesitant to leave less than stellar reviews for books that I have been gifted. And so let me preface this by saying thank you, NetGalley for providing me with this ARC.

The premise was great though some of the scenes at the beginning of the book or a little much for me. I don’t really want to give too much away, but I had hoped that the beginning of the book would be more like what the ending turned out to be. I will say, though that the ending sort of made the beginning, make more sense, if that makes sense!

I did figure out the twist very early on, but there is another twist at the end that made me glad I had finished the book.

The writing in parts comes across a little bit as an adult trying to be YA but it wasn’t a bad read. I will go with 2.5/3 stars, at least for now. That may change as I think about the book a little bit more.

Ella's best friend died over the summer--in a car accident, while Ella was driving. She doesn't remember anything about that day, but she blames herself for Hayley's death, and she knows that other people blame her, too. She turns to Hayley's boyfriend, Sawyer, for comfort--after all, he was the one person who knew Hayley as well as Ella did. But when Hayley's mom asks Ella to clear out Hayley's room, Ella finds a diary... and that diary details some pretty dark aspects of Hayley's relationship.
Ella and Sawyer are growing closer--but as she reads Hayley's diary, she begins to wonder if that's safe. If Sawyer might not be the boy she thought he was. And even worse--she can't seem to stay away from him.

I will say that the Colleen Hoover comp made me very nervous to read this, as I was expecting romanticization of abuse, but I thought Everything We Never Said was very well done. The intrigue kept me on the edge of my seat, I was back and forth on so many theories, and the abuse thread was very well written--Sloan Harlow nailed the complicated emotions that come with being a victim of abuse, and it never felt romanticized in any way.

Definitely check the trigger warnings for this one. There were also a couple sex scenes that pushed the boundary of what I, as an adult, was comfortable reading about considering the characters were teens. But I don't think the scenes were too risqué for upper YA; just that this was one of those moments where I am not the target audience, and that's okay!

This book will rip your heart out and have you picking it back up along with your jaw that drops. Perfectly executed plot twist, dark thrilling romance. Couldn't seem to put it down once I started!

Thank you to Penguin for the opportunity to read this advance copy. I could not put this book down! I should also note that I am far outside of the teen demographic, and I really did love this book. The character development, and the twists, I just could not stop reading it.

I could feel Ella’s sadness, and at times I was rooting for her and Sawyer and at other times I hated Sawyer. I loved the character of Seema, she was insightful, but sarcastic, and just what Ella needed when she needed her.

I would recommend this to just just the YA audience!

Everything We Never Said was a quick, enjoyable read.

The story centers around Ella navigating through life and her senior year of high school after losing her best friend, Hayley, in a car accident. I will say about halfway through the book, I figured out what was going on and where the story line was going - but the ending had me thrown for a loop. Never in my wildest dreams did I think the book would end the way it did.

Would recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin for the advanced reader copy of this book.
I really enjoyed this book. It is a YA dark romance thriller, touches on tough subjects, and tells an overall good story. This is something I would have really loved to read when I was younger.

Everything We Never Said, a YA thriller by Sloan Harlow-
My rating is 4 stars.

For a Young Adult novel, this book was excellent, better than any Holly Jackson novel I’ve read, that’s for sure. Marketed as a dark romance, YA thriller, be sure to check content warnings before you let your pre-teen read this one.

Summer is over and Ella is returning to school for her senior year of high school, only this year she has to do it without her best friend, Haley. Haley died in a tragic car accident and Ella was driving. She spent the summer grieving and dealing with survivor’s guilt. Ella isn’t sure she’s ready to face everyone at school, especially Sawyer, Hayley’s boyfriend. She tries to avoid him but the school psychologist calls a group grief counseling session and Ella is forced to sit with Sawyer. They end up talking and eventually start to grow closer, both missing and still grieving Hayley. To make things even more stressful, Hayley’s mother has requested Ella’s presence at her home, to help her pack up Hayley’s room. While she’s packing things up she finds Hayley’s diary…what could she possibly learn by reading this diary…

This was a quick read for me, I read it in about 6 hours. The plot was pretty straight forward and there were times that the story was predictable BUT I was still surprised when the main plot twist hit!
I wouldn’t say this book was boring, but the first two thirds were pretty ordinary. The last third is where it’s at, the momentum builds quickly and that plot twist really hits. There is an amazing cast of support characters and you will spend a lot of time pondering “S” and his motives. There is plenty of drama and mystery, you’ll be trying to figure out “who done it,” and a budding romance with palpable chemistry, rounded out by justice being served and a HEA.

I also want to note that the author did a fantastic job touching on the subject of grief. The way she describes the stages of grief was pretty accurate, in my opinion. There were many moments that pulled at my heartstrings and had me nodding my head thinking “yes, this is exactly what it feels like.” There are important messages in this book and the author handles the heavy subjects with tact and grace.

Overall, a thrilling read with a great story and character development. Sloan Harlow is on my radar and I will be watching for what she releases next.

I received an advance reader copy and am leaving my review voluntarily. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin RH for the privilege and opportunity to read this novel.

Another quick read in the realm of YA romance and mystery, this novel was devoured in a single sitting. While a tad predictable and, in my opinion, maintaining a straightforward trajectory until the final third, the story primarily focuses on the forbidden romance between the best friend of a deceased girl and the deceased girl's boyfriend, who might harbor dark secrets. Fortunately, the author revs things up in the last third, injecting some excitement into the narrative, even though I discerned the plot twist early on after reading a few lines from a suspicious diary. Hence, I've settled on a solid three-star rating, signifying that this is a robust, fast, and easy-to-read YA thriller—a promising start for an author whose future works I look forward to enjoying a bit more!

Here's a glimpse of the plot: Ella, still a shadow of herself, grapples with the loss of her best friend, Hayley, who died in a car accident that she was driving. Coping with feelings of guilt, Ella returns to school, seeks the assistance of the school therapist, and rekindles her friendship with Seema, whom she became estranged from after getting closer to Hayley. However, the most challenging aspect is confronting Sawyer, Hayley's boyfriend, who stirs up complex emotions, intensifying her crush every time they cross paths. It appears that their feelings are mutual, with Sawyer struggling to contain his palpable attraction to her.

However, when Ella is summoned by Hayley's mother to pack up her deceased daughter's belongings—an emotionally daunting task—she discovers her friend's secret diary. Overwhelmed by curiosity, Ella succumbs to the urge to read it, despite feeling extremely guilty. What she finds within the diary presents another side of Sawyer—a version starkly different from the caring and loving boy she has come to know. Could this seemingly affectionate boy have harmed her best friend? Is she risking her safety by opening her heart to the wrong person? What if Hayley's death wasn't an accident? As Ella begins to piece together the events of that fateful night, a hazy image of a car trailing them emerges in her mind. Determined to unveil the mystery surrounding her friend's death, even if it puts her own life in jeopardy, Ella embarks on a journey that promises to shatter her heart into pieces.

I extend my heartfelt thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers GROUP / GP Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers for generously providing this digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an arc of this book.

Overall I would give this book three stars. It’s a quick and easy thriller and entertained me throughout the whole book. I think this was kind of predictable BUT there was another twist at the end that I wasn’t fully expecting. I do think that this would be a good beginner book for readers trying to get into the thriller genre. I thought the diary entry chapters really added to the story without completely overdoing it and telling too much of the story.

Omg!!! This book was incredible!!!! I read it so fast, like I couldn't stop. I'm not q fan of thriller, but this one just hits, and I was so excited with the reading, biting my nails and jumping every time Ella and Sawyer were together. Romance is an important part of this book, and it's probably one of the most complicated things for Ella and even for the plot, because he was her best friend's boyfriend. The plot twist was everything, I don't know if I'm a little naive, but I always thought “S” was Sean, but I was so wrong. I was shocked 😳.

I surprisingly enjoyed Everything We Never Said, which started as a typical YA read and ended with some great twists. While I was able to predict where the text was heading, I enjoyed the character development and plot. Loved the main character's voice throughout!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin publishing for an advanced reader copy.

For a debut novel this packs quite a punch. It is labeled as a YA dark romantic thriller and theres lots of heavy topics discussed from a late-teenage/high school senior perspective. Check trigger warnings for domestic violence and dating violence involving teens.

Memory loss, diary entries, grief, love. This book took me on a ride and the twist had me gasping and staying up late to finish. Would definitely read from this author again in the future.

This book was better and more twists than I expected. I did have a guess about some things in the storyline and had some right. I raced through reading it to find out if I was right. Definitely recommend to anyone who likes a fast paced YA thriller.

Ella is a high school senior who recently was in a car crash that killed her best friend. While stumbling through life and school, she works through her grief and falls for her best friends ex boyfriend. This story has a lot of thrills, twists and turns that I couldn’t never have expected. It left me wanting to read more and more. I could not put it down!

Trigger warning- domestic violence/abuse is a theme.

Thank you to Sloan Harlow, G.P Putnam’s sons publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy!!